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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2012;7(12):e53244.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0053244. Epub 2012 Dec 28.

The effectiveness of an online support group for members of the community with depression: a randomised controlled trial

Kathleen M Griffiths  1 , Andrew J Mackinnon, Dimity A Crisp, Helen Christensen, Kylie Bennett, Louise Farrer
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The effectiveness of an online support group for members of the community with depression: a randomised controlled trial

Kathleen M Griffiths et al. PLoS One. 2012.

Abstract

Background: Internet support groups (ISGs) are popular, particularly among people with depression, but there is little high quality evidence concerning their effectiveness.

Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an ISG for reducing depressive symptoms among community members when used alone and in combination with an automated Internet-based psychotherapy training program.

Method: Volunteers with elevated psychological distress were identified using a community-based screening postal survey. Participants were randomised to one of four 12-week conditions: depression Internet Support Group (ISG), automated depression Internet Training Program (ITP), combination of the two (ITP+ISG), or a control website with delayed access to e-couch at 6 months. Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-intervention, 6 and 12 months.

Results: There was no change in depressive symptoms relative to control after 3 months of exposure to the ISG. However, both the ISG alone and the combined ISG+ITP group showed significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms at 6 and 12 months follow-up than the control group. The ITP program was effective relative to control at post-intervention but not at 6 months.

Conclusions: ISGs for depression are promising and warrant further empirical investigation.

Trial registration: Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN65657330.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: All authors declare that there are no competing interests that might be interpreted as influencing the research. Authors Kathleen Griffiths, Helen Christensen and Kylie Bennett have developed e-couch (http://ecouch.anu.edu.au), which is available free of charge on the Internet. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products to declare. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Participant flow through the study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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